"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Leaky holes and fire escapes will set the evening for tone
You and your holy halo started burning eventually just froze
Sewn into the carpet just trying to thaw out whatever I know
The thermostat it won't go higher not that you or I know
And I was drinking heavily
I burst into your bedroom belligerently
Asked her if she's done a thing like stepping out and making a scene
So foolishly I was apathetic so I blamed your family and Never mended it
Shitty brakes and balding tires we're out around on the road
You and my little sister, flashy frequent scariest snow
And we return just fine
I started to crack your analytical code
By the time you're convinced, I know
When I was drinking heavily
I burst into your bedroom confusingly
Yelled about a bunch of things
that if you looked you'd never see for our eternities
And I blamed you for not being
someone you could not be someone you'll never be
Now I see everything and everyone you see
Killing time alone inside a stripped and nakedest home
Couldn't catch my brain up with the sights and fear that I saw
Fell into the doorway hoping you had left the guitars
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
I've been drinking carefully
I creep into our bedroom and watch you sleep
My mind it wanders onto things that if I try I can't explain
As if there's something worse
As if there's something worse,
to have weaned away your worth,
when I was so absurd
Well is there something worse?
You and your holy halo started burning eventually just froze
Sewn into the carpet just trying to thaw out whatever I know
The thermostat it won't go higher not that you or I know
And I was drinking heavily
I burst into your bedroom belligerently
Asked her if she's done a thing like stepping out and making a scene
So foolishly I was apathetic so I blamed your family and Never mended it
Shitty brakes and balding tires we're out around on the road
You and my little sister, flashy frequent scariest snow
And we return just fine
I started to crack your analytical code
By the time you're convinced, I know
When I was drinking heavily
I burst into your bedroom confusingly
Yelled about a bunch of things
that if you looked you'd never see for our eternities
And I blamed you for not being
someone you could not be someone you'll never be
Now I see everything and everyone you see
Killing time alone inside a stripped and nakedest home
Couldn't catch my brain up with the sights and fear that I saw
Fell into the doorway hoping you had left the guitars
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off
I've been drinking carefully
I creep into our bedroom and watch you sleep
My mind it wanders onto things that if I try I can't explain
As if there's something worse
As if there's something worse,
to have weaned away your worth,
when I was so absurd
Well is there something worse?
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Love this song, anyone getting a hint of Modest Mouse from it?
@Kixur413 As a huge Modest Mouse fan, that's the first thing I noticed about it!<br />
The way he says "My mind is wanders on..." reminds me of Death Cab for Cutie
In case anyone was wondering, (I think) the songs called Leaky Breaks because that's what Andy ends up being. He's loud and obnoxious. He keeps trying to stop but he can't.
This song breaks my heart.
The line "It's way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off" seems is extremely similar to the line "Wait for something better, will I know when it can be us?" in Clarity by Jimmy Eat world. Both in melody and rhythm... even the way some of the words sound.
Is this a coincidence? Just wondering if there was something I missed maybe. Not saying they ripped them off; Manchester Orchestra is better than that. Maybe a tip of the hat to JEW?
I didn't think MO could make a song sadder than I Can Feel A Hot One. This song proves that theory wrong. It's so rewarding even after many, many listens.
I love how the structure of the song repeats itself over and over again like a bad memory.
So many metaphors in this song it's almost too much to break down but more than anything I think this spells out what kind of asshole Andy can be. Also how he realizes he's just as much to blame for everything in his faulty relationship as the other person is.
Also the line "way too late for calling anyways I guess I'll doze off" I think is repeated because he realizes he must change and be more communicative in his relationship or end up alone and stuck with just his dreams and nightmares forever.
The song ends on my favorite verse, how he would have replayed the incident that haunts him if he had to do again. He saves his most meaningful line for this verse, "As if there's something worse, to have weaned away your worth."
In case anyone was wondering, (I think) the songs called Leaky Breaks because that's what Andy ends up being. He's loud and obnoxious. He keeps trying to stop but he can't.